Is this bigger than yours?

So, in keeping with my love of process, I've included here a quick breakdown of 2 panels from issue 4 of Burning Building Comix. The first is what my notes look like, which in the case of Burning Building, are quick, action-descriptive lists. The second is a thumbnail, which I haven't always used, but does help to lay out the final art quicker, and helps me to work out pacing, and the logistics of fitting stuff on the page before I get to the full size art. Basically it's a lot easier to rearrange or redraw quick sketches, rather than a final penciled page. Then, the third is the final art all inked, minus the background that I drew separately and will combine on the computer. This is how I've been working for Burning Building, because it's a silent comic, and I don't have to worry about scripting dialogue, but for stuff like BlackStar, I'll usually start with a script of all the panels and dialogue written out, then go to the thumbnails like above. I've tried a bunch of different methods for the process, and kinda change it for what the project needs. However, I haven't tried the method of writing page by page as I draw, which is popular with a lot of great cartoonist, but I have no confidence I can do this and have it turn out the way I want. I guess I'm just a control freak, but maybe someday I'll try it and see what happens.

Here's the boy reading the scholastic color version of BONE. Everyone knows and loves Bone, and these scholastic editions are colored by all-around great guy, Steve Hamaker, who has been nominated for an Eisner award! The Eisner's are like the Oscars of comics, and Steve is well-deserving. Look here for a sample of his work. Good luck, Steve, with your big colored Bone!

Some songs from my ipod shuffle...

The Small Print, by Muse

Where Heroes go Down, by Suzanne Vega

It's not Unusual, by Tom Jones

Muse is this great band that sound like "The Bends" era of Radiohead, which is AWESOME cause I love that album, and even though I loved "OK Computer", and even "Kid A" to a lesser extent, their albums after that got too cold and atmospheric for me. To me, Radiohead was best when Thom was using his voice as an instrument and really belting it out, instead of the unaffected moaning he kinda does now. I think he wants to be a robot. But Muse rocks. I first heard them because of a song in the movie Millions. Hysteria, was used in the bank heist scene and worked so well with the movie that I looked up who did the song. They also have a song on Guitar Hero 3 that has a lick I absolutely cannot wrap my stupid head around!

That Suzanne Vega song is Emily's and I might have to start doing this differently cause of all her damn songs that keep popping up, plus all the songs I had to clear out to make space for Podcasts.

Ahh, Tom Jones. He's a beautiful man. The Voice has several great hits, "It's not Unusual" is amongst my favorites. I think the first time I saw Tom Jones, it was on an episode of Howard Stern on E!, and Stern, of course, was only asking sex questions, cause Jones is a notorious cocksman! The funny thing was, Jones answered every question with three responses. He'd either laugh, say "yeah" or say "sometimes". It was quite odd. Plus, there was a weird story about comparing penis sizes with Milton Berle.

SPACE 2008

Well, another convention has come and gone. SPACE 2008! Had a good time and met some cool people. Columbus Ohio is a long way from Chicago, six hours, so it's a bit exhausting, but you find things to make it worth while. Like the Waffle House! Damn good stuff! We don't have these in Chicago and when I first saw them, I thought, Waffles? Big fucking deal, who cares that much about waffles? Well I'm an open minded man, always looking to expand my mind, least ways in that it involves food, so I finally went to one, and enjoyed myself some good fucking waffles! This particular trip however I went nuts and tried some chocolate chips on my waffle. That was a mistake. The chocolate chips completely overpowered the delicate beauty of the waffle house waffle! Another life lesson learned.

I've done several trips down to SPACE now, and have never been blown away by the crowds, but managed to do a little better each year. This year however seemed slower that last, but I did meet, and exchange goods with several fine people. See the posed photographs below.

I hooked up with all around good guy Steve Hamaker and had a laugh.


Steve is the talent behind the comic Fish and Chips, not to mention the colorist supreme of Bone!
Check out his technologically talented ass here. http://www.steve-hamaker.com/

Also meet Pat Lewis, creator of several fine minis, and the beautiful hard cover collection, The Claws Come Out, from IDW. http://www.lunchbreakcomics.com/



He was sitting next to fellow Pittsburgian, Ed Piskor, who managed to exchange a copy of his latest book, Wizzywig, with me on the sly.


If you haven't had the chance yet to check out Ed's work, he's doing some real interesting and original stuff.http://www.edpiskor.com/

I also purchased the wares of mini-comic luminaries Neil Fitzpatrick, and Justin Madson, Nice guys with beautiful tables, and solid sales techniques. http://www.neiljam.com/ http://www.justmadbooks.com/

Also had the chance to meet fellow Illinoisan John Hankiewicz, the final member of the Holy Consumption I finally got to share a handshake with. I bought John's book Asthma, of which I've only heard good things, and he was nice enough to throw in a mini called bald knob, with a very nicely done lithographed cover!

All of these guys were in the same row, or close to it, making it the most visited section of the floor for me. I was on the other side of the room.

Sunday was a little slow.

As per usual the guys in the tables next to me were very nice, and offered some fun conversation. SPACE does lack the presence of the bigger indie publishers, which tend to bring some excitement to the shows, but Bodega Dist. was there with Sparkplug books right next to them, with some really cool looking stuff. I was too broke to buy much of anything, but they did have a slew of top quality stuff available to the crowd.

Last but not least is a comic drawn by my brother Adam, who keeps me company at these conventions, and at times draws his own comics based on his experiences when he gets bored. Enjoy.

I did take some video of the trip, that I'm gonna have to post later in the week, and maybe I'll talk a little more about conventions in general. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the table and bought comics!

Your Pal, Jeff